Malaysians find site of pre-Angkor temple civilization

[Adsos Letter]

Source: TaipeiTimes

Malaysian archeologists yesterday said they had discovered the main site of an ancient kingdom that predates the Angkor temples of Cambodia and could be the oldest civilization in the region.

Archeological team leader professor Mokhtar Saidin said the find, which could lead to a rewriting of history books on the region, was made in two palm oil plantations in northern Kedah State last month.

He said buildings found at the site indicate it was part of the ancient Hindu kingdom of Bujang which existed in the area some time in the third century, predating the Angkor civilization of Cambodia which flourished from the 12th to 14th centuries.

“We have dated artifacts from what we believe are an administration building and an iron smelter to 1,700 BP <250AD>, which sets the Bujang civilization between the third and fourth century AD,” Saidin said. “We have only one date so far so we can say it is one of the earliest civilizations in the region, but with more dates we will be able to verify whether it is the oldest civilization in the region.”

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2009/03/06/2003437690